In morning and evening plenary sessions, delegates considered, among other issues: laboratory and analytical uses of carbon tetrachloride (CTC); compliance; ozone depleting substances (ODS); and CFC production by non-Article 5 parties. While the high-level segment of COP-7/MOP-17 will open on Thursday morning, the preparatory segment will reconvene on Thursday or Friday to consider outstanding issues. Several contact groups met in the afternoon and evening.

Implementation Committee Chair Maas Goote (the Netherlands) presented the report of the thirty-fifth meeting of the Implementation Committee, held from 7-9 December 2005 (UNEP/OzL.Pro/ImpCom/35/10), and introduced several compliance-related draft decisions (UNEP/OzL.Pro.17/CRP.3 and CRP.3/Add.1). He expressed appreciation for the high rate of data reporting for 2004 and noted issues considered at the Committee's recent meeting, including the relevance of stockpiling to compliance, and reporting on research, development and information exchange under Article 9 of the Protocol. Goote also supported review of the Protocol's compliance procedures, given the Implementation Committee's increased workload. Co-Chair Land noted the draft decisions would be forwarded to the high-level segment.

On laboratory and analytical uses of carbon tetrachloride (CTC), Chile (left), on behalf of the Latin America and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), said its proposed draft decision requests TEAP to review international standards for CTC and assess the impacts of such standards for Article 5 parties.

Colombia summarized the draft decision on coordination on quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) uses of methyl bromide (UNEP/OzL.Pro.17/CRP.12), particularly uses under standard 15 of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures.

EC members huddle to discuss the revised draft decision on illegal trade

Oladapo Afolabi, Nigeria, Co-Chair of the contact group on replenishment (left)

Canada (center) introduced its draft decision to minimize CFC production in non-Article 5 parties (UNEP/OzL.Pro.17/CRP.8), noting such production met the basic domestic needs of Article 5 parties. He said the draft decision: proposed to set up a prior informed consent provision for CFC trade under the basic domestic needs provision; urged non-Article 5 parties to phase out CFC production as soon as feasible; and suggested consideration of an adjustment to accelerate the CFC phase-out schedule to meet the basic needs of Article 5 parties at MOP-18.

Magdalena Preve, Uruguay (right)

Tom Batchelor and Nicole Roberts, EC

On minimizing CFC production in non-Article 5 countries, the EC said it had implemented measures to reduce CFC production and expressed its intention to discuss the proposed adjustment further.

Bangladesh introduced its draft decision regarding need for CFCs for MDIs over the amounts allowable in 2007-2009.

Bernaditas Castro Muller, Philippines (left) intvervenes

Norway and Russia consulting during the evening plenary session (left) and Mauritius

Contact Groups

Lambert Kuijpers, Co-Chairs of the TEAP's Replenishment Task Force and Maria Nolan, Chief Officer, Multilateral Fund (left) The contact group on replenishment of the Multilateral Fund was co-chaired by Oladapo Afolabi (Nigeria) (right)